April 2021 – The Lamp Post

Plot:

Villa Verde is a grove where a variety of animal friends live. The Magic at Villa Verde is a collection of short stories, each with a different animal protagonist. It’s the kind of book that I remember reading when I was little, where each story uses a fun animal to teach you a different lesson. Think Full House, but with totally different characters… it’s just that wholesome, classic vibe that slyly teaches morals like forgiveness, collaboration, and being yourself.

What I loved most:

I don’t know why rhyming automatically makes a story 100 times better, but it definitely does. The rhymes that Nemazie uses will make this a fun one to read out loud to small kiddos. Let’s be real though – parents, you might want to brace yourselves, because this seems like one that will get a “one more time” request over and over again!

Read this book if you like:

Rhymes, immersive worlds, animal friends, low key teaching kids important lessons through fun stories

Book details:

Author: Maryam Nemazie
Publisher: Self Published (forever holla-ing for authors who take the initiative to make their dreams of publishing a book come true!)
Interest Level: Toddlers to First Graders

Plot:

Celia is better known by her pen name, Calpurnia. She’s the author of the advice column Dear Calpurnia, and she makes sure to send a personalized answer to each letter written to her. When she finally gets an answer to a “Dear Birthmother” letter she sent out a while back, Celia is beyond thrilled about the potential to become a mom. One issue: she just got fired from her job, and can’t afford to live in her swanky New York apartment anymore. When she receives notification that she inherited a house in her hometown of Charleston, it seems like kismet. However, she hadn’t realized that the house would be in such poor condition. The Restoration of Celia Fairchild is a simply beautiful book about chosen families, letting go of the past, and making your own future.

What I loved most:

Oh, this book was just so sweet. Celia definitely has some trauma in her past that she has to figure out, but this isn’t a heavy book by any means. We get to walk along on this journey toward healing with her, and with the lovely people that she finds in her life. It’s a good reminder that while life may not always look like we planned, we can make our lives beautiful.

Read this book if you like:

Contemporary fiction, mid-life coming of age stories, small towns

Book details:

Author: Marie Bostwick
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Date of Publication: March 2, 2021
Interest Level: Adult